January 1, 1915 to December 31, 1930

Ms. Lucy Dickinson, writing for the Birmingham News in October 1918, sent out an urgent plea to the city for a foster mother. An infant had been brought to the Children's Hospital by neighbors who had been caring for him. The baby's parents were victims of the epidemic “Spanish” influenza and were being treated at the local infirmary. Dickinson explained that the two "big-hearted fellows”...

On October 21,1918, Birmingham News staff writer Henry Vance told his readers “[i]t is much better to be interned than interred.” The Spanish influenza had reached Birmingham, and officials had advised citizens to stay inside to avoid infection. Each day Vance featured a new game idea suitable for families to play while they remained indoors. In number six of a series called “Indoor...

When soldiers were sent to war, they left behind loved ones who anticipate the worst; not knowing the status of their soldier was the biggest scare of all. The only way a soldier could update his or her family was by keeping in touch with them by letters. The strength a letter carried was remarkable; a few words written on a piece of paper would easily keep the mind from wondering or worrying. ...

Comtesse Madeleine de Bryas and her sister Jacqueline were born, raised and cultured in Paris. During 1918, the two sisters were in the United States for six months to raise funds for the “American Committee for Devastated France” by giving speeches. While they travelled shore to shore by train they liked America and the American people they met. They had wonderful comments...

Lying, cheating, and gambling. Do these sound like actions that men who were respected and looked upon with admiration would commit? The fans who supported the Chicago White Sox in 1919 never thought the players they adored would do such things. However, these fans were wrong. In September 1920, just as playoffs were about to begin, eight beloved players from the White Sox were charged with...

In 1840, female activist Dorothea Dix set out on a misson to create more mental health hospitals for the mentally ill. During this time in America, there were only 8 hospitals for the mentally ill, but Dorothea fought for the creation of at least 32, so the people who have been injustly imprisioned for mental health reasons may be transferred from jail to the hospital instead.

Introduced in the early 20th century, the automobile became one the great advances that occurred within American society. They soon came to greatly expand the mobility of the American people and would eventually come to dominate the travel and leisure industries. Due to the fact that early automobiles where the “new toy” for leisure and luxury, usually only the upper-class where...

Mary Margaret Walker, a Greenville Woman's College student in South Carolina, collected many documents during her college years and collected them in her scrapbook. Her memory book not only included ticket stubs, but also contains photographs of her and her friends engaging in activities. Walker's scrapbook, as noted by historian Judith Bainbridge, ''speaks volumes about the college...

In 1919, the United States was feeling a surge of pride and confidence amidst allied wins after four long years of fighting in Word War I. The Detroit Free Press published an article to encourage its citizens to continue their wartime home-grown food production efforts, in what was referred to as Victory Gardens. With the war officially coming to end, the United States saw a huge increase...

Students at Greenville Woman's College often documented their social life in a scrapbook. While many of these books did not stand the test of time or were kept private by future generations, some ended up in the archives of Furman University. One of these scrapbooks belonged to Mary Margaret Walker; born in Greer, South Carolina, Walker attended the College as an undergraduate from 1919 to 1923...